Birthday Project 2012--Navajo word of the day

[Theresa]

Béésh Nitsikeesí
Computer

[youtube]1W5dWIAyvrg[/youtube]



Today's Word of the Day is: béésh nitsikeesí. This means computer, or literally "the metal that thinks." I use it in a sentence by saying, "Shibéésh nitsikeesí shits'áá' dah hidiiyá," which means, "My computer froze up on me."

The breakdown;

Shi: my
Béésh (metal) nitsikeesí (thinker): computer
Shits'áá': away from me
Dah hidiiyá: got stuck/hung up

[shadowydog]

I have come to the conclusion from following this that the Navajo are in love with vowels and have little love for consonents.

[Theresa]

I have come to the conclusion from following this that the Navajo are in love with vowels and have little love for consonents.

Seems so, shadowy!

[Theresa]

Naats'ó'oołdísii
Dust Devil

[youtube]xID4k246lK0[/youtube]


Today's Navajo Word of the Day is "dust devil." To say "dust devil" in Navajo, you say "naats'ó'oołdísii." A dust devil is essentially a whirlwind made up of dust. To use it in a sentence, you can say, "Niléíjį́ naats'ó'oołdísii yigááł," which means, "There is a dust devil traveling over there." The breakdown:

Niléíjį́: over in that direction
Naats'ó'oołdísii: a dust devil
Yigááł: it is walking

In an old Navajo story about a boy named "Łeeyah Neeyání" (Raised in the Ground), who is also known as "Naayéé' Neizghání" (Monster Slayer) in Navajo, he came across Giant (Yé'iitsoh) who tried to kill him. To make a long story short, Łeeyah Neeyání killed Giant with the help of "Na'ashó'ii Dich'ízhii" (Horned Toad). After Łeeyah Neeyání killed Giant, Giant's ch'į́į́dii (evil spirit) came back to try to kill Łeeyah Neeyání in the form of a dust devil (naats'ó'oołdísii).

With the help of Béésh Ast'ogii Dine'é (Arrowhead People), Łeeyah Neeyání finally destroyed the Giant's ch'į́į́dii. Since Giant's ch'į́į́dii came back in the form of a dust devil or whirlwind, some traditional Navajos regard dust devils as evil spirits. For that reason it is sometimes considered taboo to throw things at a whirlwind or walk through them. By doing such things, it's said it'll attack you.

[Theresa]

Akałii
Cowboy

[youtube]4Bxd9cyopTA[/youtube]


Since I was in Texas at the time of the shooting of this video, I figured a fitting word of the day would be "cowboy." To say cowboy in Navajo you say "akałii." An additional Navajo word is the word for "Texas," which is "Akałii Bikéyah." The breakdown:

Akałii: Cowboy
Bikéyah: his/her land

Together, the phrase means "Cowboy Land!"

The footage for this video was shot at "The Big Texan: Home of the Free 72 oz. Steak!" Well, it's only free if you eat it under one hour & I dare didn't try. It's located in east Amarillo, TX. You can see billboard signs advertising it clear from Arizona and New Mexico. It is definitely a fun place to eat at! Lol!

[shadowydog]

Oh. I meant to post that I had one of them thar naats'ó'oołdísii's hit the side of my house the other day and a bunch of them ripped some roofs off buildings in Vegas also.

[Theresa]

Oh. I meant to post that I had one of them thar naats'ó'oołdísii's hit the side of my house the other day and a bunch of them ripped some roofs off buildings in Vegas also.

I though of you and your dust devils when I saw this word, shadowydog!

[Theresa]

Łees’áán yílzhódí
The Milky Way


http://navajowotd.com/post/20896306391/ ... n-yilzhodi

Literal meaning: the cake (baked in ash) that is dragged along.

If you’ve ever looked up into the sky on a clear night, in a place far from city lights, you’ve probably seen the speckled band of the Milky Way. Łees’áán yílzhódí is one of the Navajo names for the Milky Way.

Łees’áán is a specific type of cake that is either baked underground or in an outdoor oven. If you can imagine bits and pieces of the cake and ash being broken off whilst being dragged against something (yílzhódí), then you have the idea behind the name for the Milky Way. It’s as if someone grabbed a piece and dragged it across the sky, leaving the stars and the specks in its wake.

[Theresa]

Diyogí
Rug


http://navajowotd.com/post/23492598385/diyogi

Diyogí is the Navajo name for rug.

Authentic Navajo rugs, of course, are famous for being woven from the painstaking labor of sheering the wool of a sheep, cleaning, carding the wool, dyeing, and spinning it into thread. The dyes must sometimes be collected from far-away places, making the process even more involved. Looms must be made, as well as the tools for the weaving.

Navajo rugs are highly abstract; designs convey ideas through symbols and lines, as well as colors. Skilled weavers know the different styles based upon regional designs, and can create unique rugs that stay true to the original ideas.

[winona]

Thank you for this one! I have a Navajo rug that was woven in the 20's, back when they all contained a spirit line- A deliberately placed thread running out of the boarder. My dad had framed it to keep it safe on a wall. My Son when a young guy in wood shop, made a beautiful shelf with a hanging rack for it. That is where it remains, no wear and tear

[Theresa]

Jóhonaa'éí Daaztsą́
Solar Eclipse

[youtube]vjBIEoGrWcA[/youtube]


Since there was a solar eclipse today on the Navajo reservation, I decided to make today's Navajo Word of the Day "solar eclipse." To say solar eclipse in Navajo, you say "Jóhonaa'éí Daaztsą́, " which literally means, "The Sun Died!"

Another way to say it is, "Ałne'íí'áázh," which essentially describes two things traveling together in a way in which one thing is hiding behind another.

The last word used is the word "Ahééjiichį́į́ " which is the name of the fiery ring or "annulus." The word describes something that is red in a circular formation. At the end of the video is my own capture of the "annular solar eclipse," caught with my handy camera. This video was shot from Chinle, AZ, where the maximum coverage of the moon by the sun was visible in my area.

Now I know that traditional Navajos do not typically view the occurrence of an eclipse. Our family understands these sentiments and we know the underlying tone of safety. By viewing eclipses, we are not disrespecting the beliefs of traditional Navajos.

- Daybreak Warrior

[Theresa]

Tł’éé’honaa’éí
Moon


http://navajowotd.com/post/18246246948/tlee-honaaei

I was once told this word meant: the one carried at night. This is a Navajo word for ‘moon.’

There are two common Navajo words for moon, but tł’éé’honaa’éí is the one most commonly mispronounced.

See, in Navajo, if small details aren’t strictly observed (i.e. tł’éé’honaa’éí -> tłeehonaa’éí, as is commonly mistaken) you risk being remembered as foul-mouthed. The latter example just made the conversation somewhat sexual, and thereby inappropriate in most circumstances.

I won’t tell you what it means exactly, because that would warrant an entirely new Word of the Day

[SnoopyDances]

[Theresa]

Hosh
Cactus

[youtube]JCjK3PtKrck[/youtube]


I filmed this video when I was traveling back from Phoenix, AZ, passing through the Tonto National Forest, where saguaro cactus grow abundantly! When most people think of Arizona, the first thing that comes to mind is deserts and cactus... namely saguaro cactus. Well, the desert is probably pretty accurate where I live... BUT my part of Arizona does not have much "saguaro cactus." Regardless, I decided to make my Navajo Word of the Day "cactus," which is "hosh" in Navajo.

Saguaro is the type of cactus most people associate with Arizona. The word is the Spanish rendering of a Native American word for the plant... possibly cahilla, but it is uncertain.

Though saguaro does not grow on the Navajo reservation, there are two words for saguaro. The first is "hosh aditsahii," which kind of means "the cactus that grabs." I don't really know the reasoning behind this name. The other is "hoshtsoh," which basically means "big cactus." Either name is applicable... as is other names I'm sure but these are the only two I know!

Sorry about filming right off the freeway with loud 18-wheelers making noise & ruining the video BUT there is NO WAY I will venture off into the desert to make a video... Do you know how many rattlesnakes live out in the southern Arizona deserts? Lol, making this video so far from the freeway was gutsy enough!

- Daybreak Warrior

[Theresa]

This is a long video, but very interesting...it not only tells you how to say the months in Navajo, but it also explains what each name means.

Months

[youtube]n_HtXKIMshU[/youtube]


This video shows how to say the names of the months in the Navajo language. In the Navajo concept of the changing months, the months change with each new moon. Not only do I think it's important to learn how to pronounce the months, it is more useful to understand the meaning of the months.

This video not only pronounces the month, I also discuss the meaning behind the words. Below are all the names of the months covered in this video:

Ghąąjį́': October
Níłch'its'ósí: November
Níłch'itsoh: December
Yas Niłt'ees: January
Atsą́ Biyáázh: February
Wóózhch'į́į́d: March
T'ą́ą́chil: April
T'ąątsoh: May (current name)
Dǫ́'tsoh: May (older Navajo name no longer used)
Ya'iishjááshchilí: June (current name)
Jádí Iiłchííh: June (older Navajo name no longer used)
Ya'iishjáástsoh: July (current name)
Bį́į́h Iiłchííh: July (older Navajo name no longer used)
Bini'anit'ą́ą́ts'ósí: August
Bini'anit'ą́ą́tsoh: September
Na'ał'aashí: 13th Moon Month

Since the months were originally measured by the moon cycles and 13 moon cycles exist, there are actually 13 months in one year. This video does not go into depth about ceremonial & cultural aspects associated with each month. Such discussions are beyond the scope of this video. This is merely an introduction. I hope you find this tutorial useful.